We’re at a cocktail party at our friends Bob and Micki’s place. Bob’s scientific work takes him to South America, and he picked up this bottle (note, a used Miller beer bottle) of these super tasty, unusual bitters from Iquitos, Peru. We replaced the usual Cynar in the recipe with those Chaman siete bitters. Since they were very flavorful on their own, I also removed the dash of Angostura and replaced the orange bitters with a dash of Cointreau. Really, really good and different. The bitters come out but don’t dominate.
Part of what I’ve learned in trying some different drinks is how to experiment and substitute. As the mixology trend drives ever more obscure ingredients, you’ll never be able to match them exactly. So, I think substitution is a key skill for the home bartender. The bonus is that when an opportunity like this comes along you have some idea what to do.
- 2 oz Ron Abuelo 7 year rum
- 3/4 oz El Chaman de la Selva, siete (replacing Cynar and Angostura)
- 1/2 oz Punt e Mes
- dash Cointreau
Shake and serve.
